Summary. This guide is for the person who receives vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) on site. It covers three things: how to read the batch Certificate of Analysis against the technical data sheet, what the safety data sheet lists as polymerisation triggers and incompatible materials, and a receiving checklist. Statements are tied to the SDS (Rev 3.1) or the TDS (SPC-TDS-MON-001); anything else is labelled general knowledge or good practice and is not an SPC specification.
This is a receiving and paperwork guide, not a buyer overview. For uses, sourcing and packaging, read our general VAM buyer guide; for the specification table, CAS, HSN and UN data, see the vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) product page. Here the focus is narrower: when a tanker or a set of drums arrives, which documents do you open, which figures do you compare, and which conditions in the safety data sheet should shape how you unload and hold the material.
VAM is a reactive monomer, so the receiving step matters more than it would for an ordinary solvent. The VAM we supply is hydroquinone-inhibited, fibre grade, 99.9% min (m/m), imported Sipchem material from Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Supreme Petro Chemicals is an importer and bulk distributor, not a manufacturer, and a batch Certificate of Analysis is supplied with every delivery.
The three documents on arrival
| Document | What it tells you | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data sheet | Grade, specification limits, packaging, safety note | SPC-TDS-MON-001 |
| Safety data sheet | Hazards, handling, storage, reactivity, transport | Rev 3.1, 16 sections |
| Batch Certificate of Analysis | The measured figures for the batch you received | Supplied with every delivery |
Source: TDS SPC-TDS-MON-001; SDS Rev 3.1; standing SPC service line on the batch Certificate of Analysis.
The technical data sheet and the certificate play different roles. The data sheet states the limits; the certificate states what was measured for the batch. The limits on our data sheet are taken from the manufacturer certificate of analysis for Sipchem material, tested per Sipchem method LP8124.
How to read the batch Certificate of Analysis
The table below lists the lines most useful on receipt. The limit column is from the TDS. The last column is general knowledge about why the line is worth a glance; it is not an SPC statement about how the limit was set.
| Line on the certificate | Limit on the TDS | General knowledge, not SPC specification |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroquinone inhibitor | Report (batch value stated) | The starting figure for your own stabiliser records |
| Purity | 99.9% m/m min | Confirms the grade you ordered |
| Water by Karl Fischer | 200 ppm max | The SDS notes VAM hydrolyses slowly in water, so water content is worth tracking |
| Acidity as acetic acid | 50 ppm max | The SDS names acetic acid as a hydrolysis product, so compare later retests with this figure |
| Platinum-cobalt colour | 5 max | A quick comparison against what you see in the sample |
| Appearance | Clear, free of suspended matter | Cloudiness or solids on receipt is a reason to stop and ask |
Source: TDS SPC-TDS-MON-001 (limits, manufacturer certificate of analysis, Sipchem); SDS Rev 3.1 section 9 (hydrolysis note). Right-hand column: general knowledge.
The remaining lines are acetaldehyde 50 ppm max, ethyl acetate 250 ppm max, methyl acetate 50 ppm max, benzene 0.10 ppm max, relative density 0.932 to 0.9345 at 20/20 C and distillation range 0.8 C max. They are on the product page. Compare the certificate with the purchase order, the grade on the label and the CAS number, 108-05-4.
What the SDS says can start polymerisation
Section 10 of the safety data sheet states that VAM polymerises exothermically when exposed to light, heat or peroxides, or when the inhibitor is depleted. Its conditions to avoid are heat, direct sunlight, ignition sources, contamination, depletion of the inhibitor and uninhibited storage. Section 7 adds that the stabiliser level should be maintained and tested regularly.
| Trigger | What the SDS says | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | Polymerises exothermically with heat; below 25 C preferred, store cool | Sections 7 and 10 |
| Light | Polymerises exothermically with light; store away from direct sunlight | Sections 7 and 10 |
| Peroxides | Polymerises exothermically with peroxides; peroxides are also listed as incompatible | Sections 7 and 10 |
| Depleted inhibitor | Maintain stabiliser level, test regularly, never store uninhibited material | Sections 7 and 10 |
| Strong bases | May cause rapid polymerisation | Section 10 |
Source: SDS Rev 3.1 sections 7 and 10.
The SDS does not specify a test method or a test frequency for the stabiliser. Those are for your own quality procedure, informed by the hydroquinone figure on the batch certificate.
Incompatible materials and segregation
The SDS lists strong oxidising agents (nitric acid, chlorine, permanganates, peroxides), concentrated acids, halogens, strong bases, and aluminium chloride at elevated temperatures. It also asks for segregation from food, drink, animal feed and incompatible chemicals, and for storage away from heat sources and ignition risks. A practical reading of that list, offered as good practice rather than an SPC rule, is that transfer hoses, pumps and bunds used for VAM should not be shared with acid, caustic or oxidiser service unless they have been cleaned and dedicated.
Containers, ignition control and storage conditions
Section 7 asks for original, tightly closed, compatible containers of mild steel or stainless steel, in a cool, well-ventilated area, with explosion-proof equipment and grounded or bonded containers. Section 2 lists the precautionary statements for grounding and bonding (P240), explosion-proof equipment (P241), non-sparking tools (P242) and static discharge (P243). VAM is a highly flammable liquid and vapour (Flam. Liq. 2, H225; UN 1301, Class 3), and its vapour is heavier than air (vapour density 3.0, section 9), so it can collect in low points.
Our technical data sheet adds one line that the safety data sheet does not: store cool under nitrogen, away from heat, sparks and oxidisers. We quote each document on its own terms. If your site intends to blanket VAM with nitrogen, treat that as your own engineering decision, taken with the TDS line and the SDS in hand, because neither document gives blanketing pressure, equipment or procedure.
A receiving checklist
The steps below are general good practice for receiving a flammable, reactive monomer. They combine the documents above with common practice and are not an SPC procedure or specification.
- Match the product name, CAS number (108-05-4) and UN 1301 marking on the container or tanker to the purchase order and the safety data sheet.
- Read the batch Certificate of Analysis: grade, purity, water, colour and the hydroquinone figure, against the limits on the technical data sheet.
- Inspect the containers for damage or leaks before unloading, and stop and ask us if something looks wrong.
- Ground and bond before any transfer and use non-sparking tools, as the SDS asks.
- Record the hydroquinone figure and the receipt date, and set your first stabiliser test.
- Move the material to cool, shaded, ventilated storage, apart from oxidisers, acids and bases.
Shelf life: why there is no number here
We do not publish a numeric shelf life for VAM. Neither the TDS nor the SDS gives one, and the rate at which an inhibitor is used up depends on temperature, light and storage conditions that change once the material leaves us. What the safety data sheet does say is to keep the product cool, test the stabiliser regularly and never store it uninhibited. Using older stock first is a sensible general practice, and the certificate figure gives you a baseline.
Frequently asked questions
Which inhibitor is in the VAM you supply?
Hydroquinone, per our technical data sheet, with 3 to 5 ppm given as a typical safety note. The batch Certificate of Analysis reports the actual level.
Does the SDS say how often to test the stabiliser?
No. It says to maintain the stabiliser level and test regularly, without a method or frequency. Set these in your own quality procedure.
Where do I find the data sheets?
The SDS (Rev 3.1) and the technical data sheet (SPC-TDS-MON-001) are linked from the VAM product page.
Enquiring about VAM
Send the quantity, pack (bulk ISO tanker or drums), delivery location and use by call or WhatsApp on +91 86087 80096, or through the contact page, and we quote within 4 working hours. Supreme Petro Chemicals is an importer and bulk distributor in Chennai, India, not a manufacturer.